Thill-coupling.



No. 683,854. Patented Out. I, l90l. J. A. GREEN.

THILL COUPLING.

filed Dec. 8, 1699. Renewed Mar. 7, 1901.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT UEEICE.

JAMES ALPHEUS GREEN, OF MILLDALE, VIRGINIA.

THILL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 683,854, dated October 1, 1901. 7 Application filed December 8,1899. Renewed March 7, 1901. Serial No. 50,267. (No modeLl To all whom, it may concern:

Beitknown that I, JAMES ALPHEUS GREEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milldale, in the county of \Varren and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Oouplings, of which the following is a specification.

For thill-couplings I have devised an improvement in which a tumbler is adapted to automatically effect its engagement by pressure with the clip-bolt and provide a safe and durable coupling easily and quickly disengaged for the removal of the shafts and to afford protection for the wear parts from dirt.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows in section the coupling device of the shaft in coupled relation to the clip-bolt. Fig. 2 is a side view of 'the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows the under side of one of the shafts and the manner of securing the coupling-jaw thereto. Fig. 5 shows the jaw-iron in side View as secured to the shaft. Fig. 6 is the loop of the jaw-iron, and Fig. 7 shows the tumbler in uncoupled position.

The axle has the usual clip-iron 2, the lugs I 3 of the clip-iron, and the coupling-bolt 4,

secured to the lugs.

To the under side of each shaft 5 is secured a strap-iron 6, which I prefer to make integral with the coupling-jaw and to extend beyond the cross-bar and be secured thereto by a brace-arm, so as to give the shafts greater strength, as in Fig. 5. The jaw-forming end 7 of this strap extends below the end of the shaft and is made hollow and open at its under side from its coupling end to some distance up the shaft. The inner wall of the hollow forms a bearing part for the couplingbolt, and the sides of the jaw have coincident openings at this bearing which fit the coupling-bolt. The sides 8 of these openings flare and open at 9 at the under side of the jaw, whereby the latter is seated over and upon the clip-bolt between the clip-lugs, as in Fig.

3. The coupling end of the jaw-iron projects approximately horizontally from the shaft in order that the side openings may be in vertical relation to the clip-bolt. The inner wall of the jaw curves above the side openings to leave a space in the hollow for the working of the tumbler 10, which is mounted therein,

closely fittingits side walls and closing the under side of the hollow at said openings.

The tumbler is mounted on a pin 11 at the outer side of and about on a horizontal line with the coupling-bolt, so that when closed within the hollow the tumbler will engage and have a bearing upon the clip-bolt and securely couple the jaw therewith. To pro= vide this hearing, the tumbler has a recess 12 force upon the tumbler-pin. The tumblerrecess above the coupling-bolt terminates in a nose projection 17, which when the tumbler is open stands down across the j aw-openings, as in Fig. 7, and the tumbler is thereby rendered self-closing upon the coupling-bolt in placing and pressing the j aw-iron against the nose projection on the tumbler, which forces it up to close the jaw-openings.

A plate 16 is bolted as a cover to the hollow of the jaw-iron, and within the hollow is secured a plate-spring 14, the free end of which projects so as to engage and hold the tumbler closed. For this purpose the. tumbler has a thumb part 13 slightly concave and the spring terminates in a convex bearing 15 and is caused to engage the thumb part with sufficient pressure to hold the tumbler firmly closed upon the coupling-bolt.

Looking at Fig. 1, it is seen that the inner wall of the jaw, below the coupling-bolt, next the weighted end of the tumbler has a recess 16 within and between the side walls, so that the Weighted end of the tumbler while crossing and closing the jaw-opening is prevented from bearing upon the jaw and is held up with a firm seating upon the coupling-bolt.

To remove the shafts, the springs are pulled out from off the tumbler thumb parts, and the lifting of the shafts will allow the tumblers to fall free of the clip-bolts and hang with their nose projections across the j awside openings, as in Fig. 7, so that in coupling the shafts the jaw-irons will in being set upon the coupling-bolts cause the thumb parts to press the springs out and pass under them, and the tumblers will be thereby automatically locked with the clip-bolts. In this way the tumblers are automatically held in position for coupling and automatically held in position when coupled.

While the spring serves to hold the tumbler in locked position with the coupling-bolt, it also serves to hold the tumbler in open position, so that it can be only closed by forcing out the spring to pass under it and be thereby engaged and looked, as shown in Fig. 1.

The axle-clip 2 is secured by the usual tiebar 18, Fig. 2, and this tiebar is formed by a loop 19, which, with a loop 20 on the plate 16, serves to attach the safety-strap 21, which hangs over the locking end of the spring.

The coupling parts as arranged and shown operate to effect the coupling by pressure upon the shafts in setting them upon the coupling-bolts.

I claim as my improvement- 1. Ina chill-coupling and in combination with the shafts having jaw-irons formed with interior bearings open at their under sides to receive the clip-bolts, of weighted tumblers pivoted to the jaws, each having a bolt-engaging recess terminating in an under hearing part adapted to close and uncover the jaw-openings and an overhanging nose part adapted to cross said jaw-openings below the jaw-bearings when the tumbler is open,whereby the nose projections on being placed upon the clip-bolts, will thereby force the tumblers in closed positions upon the clip-bolts, and means whereby the tumblers are locked.

2. In a thill-coupling, and in combination with the shafts having jaw-irons formed with interior bearings open at their under sides to receive the clip-bolts, of weighted tumblers pivoted to the jaws, each having a bolt-engaging recess terminating in an under bearing part adapted to be closed upon the clipbolts and an overhanging nose part adapted to cross the said jaw-openings below the jawbearings when the tumblers are open, and means for locking the tumblers consisting of plate-springs on the under sides of the shafts and projections on the tumblers en gaging said springs whereby in applying the shafts to the clip bolts the tumblers are automatically closed and looked upon the bolts.

3. In a thill-eoupling and in combination with the axle-clip, having the coupling-bolt, and the clip tie-bar having a loop, of the shaft jaw-irous, each hollow and having side openings terminating in bearings, a tumbler pivotally mounted in each jaw for engagement with the coupling-bolt, a spring depending in the jaw-iron for engagement with the tumbler, a cover-plate for the jaw-iron having a loop, and a safety-strap connecting said loop with the loop of the clip tie-bar.

In testimony whereof I aft-ix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES ALPHEUS GREEN Witnesses A. ROLAND JOHNSON, GUY II. J OHNSON. 

